Forever
by Blue Angel Samui
Summary: A last meeting and a sad goodbye. U/C


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Disclaimer: Rayearth is the property of CLAMP/Kodansha, not me obviously! 

This is a very short song-fic I happened to finish very quickly. It's about my favorite MKR couple, Umi and Clef. I was thinking about trying my hand at another couple but the song fit these two so well. I was actually inspired to use this song when I was listening to it while I was reviewing my French verbs. (Exciting huh?) The song is Billy Joel's "Lullabye (Goodnight, My Angel)". It was originally a lullaby for his daughter but I won't get into that because it worked well for this.   
As is usual in my Umi/Clef fanfics, Clef is in his older OAV form. I don't give the usual set up or rampant descriptions because I wanted this to be short and kind of open for your interpretations. 

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Forever 

Author: Blue Angel Samui   
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    The air was thick with a chilled, evening mist, so thick that the water condensed on her skin. It made her shiver and only added to the hopeless feeling that raced through her mind and soul. She stood there weakly in front of him, shuttering with each breath. She couldn't look at him; she was embarrassed by her tears and the remarkable feeling that she actually wouldn't survive this. Was she strong enough, would she let him? This wasn't happening, she could stop it. 

_ Goodnight, my angel  
Time to close your eyes  
And save these questions for another day _

    He touched her arm, comforting her with his gentle caress. She desperately tried to hide the way her shoulders heaved with each silent sob. She was always so strong for those around her, those she loved, she hated being weak now. He knew this, and he knew how this was killing her. She knew what he had to do. It was beginning to rain, ever so lightly. Was this natural, or was this an embodiment of the Water Knight's immense sorrow? 

    "Umi…" his voice was soft but raspy. His hands ran lightly against each side of her jaw and cupped her face, tilting her head up to look at him. The tears in her eyes reflected the starlight that peeked through the scattered rain clouds. Brushing a tear away with his thumb he gently smiled at her. 

    She brought her hands up to rest on his, holding them there. Closing her eyes so she could focus and gather her thoughts a look of pain crossed her face and her eyebrows furrowed together. A small sob burst from her trembling form and she tilted her head into his hand, savoring the feel. 

_ I think I know what you've been asking me  
I think you know what I've been trying to say _

    "Please, Clef… please don't…" Her pleading words trailed off. 

    "It will be alright," he assured her pulling her close into his embrace. Resting his head on top of hers he felt her arms travel around to his back. Her fingers entangled themselves in his cloak, as if she held fast to him he wouldn't have to go. 

_ I promised I would never leave you  
And you should always know _

    He didn't want to have to ask her to be strong for him now. He wanted to be there for her, to take her into his arms and tell her she could rest and believe in him. He had told her he would never leave her, but the circumstances had changed, and now it was his turn to be brave and to sacrifice the only thing he had really wanted… her. It was his duty and he would protect and save them all, even if it hurt. Placing a kiss on top of her head he cooed sweet nothings and words of affection to her. "I love you, I always will love you. You hold the key to my heart now and forever." 

    She knew all his words were meant to reassure her of his love but they only reminded her of what she was loosing. Hiding her face in his shirt she wished for it all to stop, for everything that was causing this to go away. Why couldn't she live happily with him? 

_ Wherever you may go  
No matter where you are  
I never will be far away _

    The pain that pulled at his heart he hid marvelously behind his gentle, yet sorrowful, smile. She would get through this, he reassured himself. His brave angel's strength and will would keep her moving forward. No matter how much they both wanted time to stop and for things to remain, they both understood that those were childish wishes, and as most children's wishes are, impossible. 

    "I'll always be with you, our souls are forever entwined," he continued. Running his hand through her long damp hair he savored the feeling. "Forever…" she repeated as she nuzzled closer and took a deep breath, embedding his unique sent into her memory. It was amazing how many memories and ideas could be connected to a simple odor. Would anything or anyone ever smell as spectacular or bring such feelings of comfort to her as his simple sent? 

_ Goodnight, my angel  
Now it's time to sleep  
And still so many things I want to say _

    Eyes meeting, they both fell silent. There was so much they both wanted to say, or felt they should. Leaning in he gently claimed her lips and she wrapped her arms around his neck in response. The kiss was soft and tasted of her tears which only seemed to flow more freely the harder she tried to hold them at bay. As if realizing how close the end really was, their kiss became hungrily brutal. Tightening his arms' grasp around her lower back he pulled her up, into his kiss. Toes barely touching the ground she savored the feeling of being clasped to his body, their tongues sweetly entangling, the way his hands felt on the small of her back, the way his soft, lavender hair at the base of his neck felt on her fingers. 

_ Remember all the songs you sang for me  
When we went sailing on an emerald bay _

    Trailing kisses along her jaw he nuzzled his head into the crook of her neck and tried to black out the reality that was quickly approaching. Her shuttered breaths and the sound of the light rain was all that could be heard. "Sing for me, please." Her choked laugh was the only response. "One last…" 

    The light melody drifted past his ears and made him smile. It was so soft and breathy from her crying that he couldn't make out the exact words, or maybe there were no words. It didn't matter, it was for him. She ran her hands through his hair absentmindedly as she sang and stared out into the vast darkness in front of her. 

_ And like a boat out on the ocean  
I'm rocking you to sleep _

    The gentle rain had stopped and they stood there, in each others' arms, silently comforting each other. The silence that followed her singing brought Clef back to reality and he tore himself away from her. 

_ The water's dark  
And deep inside this ancient heart  
You'll always be a part of me _

    Placing one final soft kiss on her lips he began to pull away. Fear seized her and she wound her hands in the fabric of his shirt refusing to let go. Gently placing his hands on hers he coaxed them down and sadly shook his head. She was ashamed of herself, her weakness, and she couldn't look him in the eye as she made her final desperate plea, "Please Clef, don't leave me. Don't go, it could be different. Please, I love you too much… I can't…" 

_ Goodnight, my angel  
Now it's time to dream _

    His kiss stopped her and he pulled back to look into her eyes. "You are so much stronger than you think you are. I'm sorry I can't…" he paused and with a smile he continued. "I love you." 

_ And dream how wonderful your life will be _

    "Forever," he mouthed. She nodded and quietly repeated, "Forever." 

_ Someday your child may cry  
And if you sing this lullabye  
Then in your heart  
There will always be a part of me _

    And with those last words the mist around her began to thicken. She reached out for him as the haze clouded her vision and the tears began to blind her as well. There wasn't anything there for her to grasp and she pulled in her arms to hug herself. A final sob escaped from her and when she looked up again she was standing in her room in Tokyo, alone. 

    Walking to her balcony window she stepped out into the cool evening air. The song she had sang to him floated forward from the depths of her mind and she began to sing it lightly under her breath. She had his love, and he had hers. It would go on forever, as he said. It would never die, and she would never forget how it had changed her for the better. 

_ Someday we'll all be gone  
But lullabyes go on and on...  
They never die  
That's how you  
And I  
Will be _

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Wasn't that delightfully short and full of angst? I'm sure the MKR fanfiction author Umi-chan would be delighted because she herself writes so much angst. Anyway, please review. I don't know how much I like this piece. I may cut it up and put it into another longer story sometime or I may just remove it if I begin to dislike it. 

On a side note, I am still working on my other MKR fanfiction, Devotions. School has been keeping me busy and I'm constantly reworking story ideas and what I have already written. So don't worry, I haven't dropped it. 

-Samui 

samui@angelicdream.com 

www.angelicdream.com 

Sapphire Elegance (An Umi Ryuuzaki shrine!) 

www.angelicdream.com/umi 

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